Apparatus for indicating the level of liquids under pressure.



E. HURLBRINK. APPARATUS FOB INDICATING THE LEVEL OF LIQUIDS UNDERPRESSURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. I915! I Pntentad Feb. 19,1918.

INVENTOR ERA/5f l/URL BRINK U ITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE."

nnnsr nunnnnrnx, or BERLIN-FRIEDENAU, GERMANY, nssmnon 'ro MARTINI &

H'UNEKE MASCHINENBAU-AKTIEN-GESELLSOHAFT, or IBERLIN, GERMANY, A

1 conronn'rron or onnmanfl A PPA BATUS FOR INDICATING THE LEVEL OFLIQUIDS UNDER PRESSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed May 8, 1915. Serial No. 26,689.

T 0 al} whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ERNST I'IURLBRINK, a citizen of the German Empire,and resident of Berlin-Friedenau, Germany, have invent- .ed certain new.and useful Improvements in Apparatus for'l'ndicating the Level ofLiquids Under Pressure, of which the following is a'specification.

My invention relates to im movements in apparatus for indicating thelevel of liquids under pressure, and more particularly to apparatuslocated above the vessel. containing the liquid, which is the case forexample in apparatus used in connection with vessels containinginflammable liquids and located under ground. The object of theimprovements is to provide an apparatus of this class in which it is notnccessuryto provide an indicating liquid which in apparatus of thepresent construction must be provided above the column of mercury. Withthis obfeet in view my invention consists in constructing the apparatusin such a way that the mercury has the function of the indicatingliquid, for which purpose it is provided above the liquid and at theplace where the iiidications are to be made and is connected with theliquidwithin the vessel through a pipe which is filled with liquid fromthe vessel.

With this and other objects in view my inventionconsists in the mattersto be described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

For the purpose of explaining. the invention' an example embodying thcsmne has.

been shownjn the accompanying drawn in which the same letters ofreference have been used in all the views to indicate correspondingparts. In said drawing- Figure -1, is a diagrammatical view of theapparatus, Fig. 2, 1s a vertical cross-sectlon of the apparatus such asitja usedin connection with vessels containing inflammable liquids,

and

Fig. 3, is a front view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2.

Referri ngat I view shown in Fig. 1, the liquid to be measuredis-inclosed within a, vessel 1 which is connected with a ertical pipe 2extending through the top wall downward to a point near the bottom ofthe same. Above the Yes-- -extends through the, bottom an near the top.ofthe chamber. The chamber first to-the diagrammatical bers 3 and 4communicating with each other at their bottoms and arrangedsubstantially in the form of the letter U. The saidcontainer is partlyfilled with mercury. The chamber 3 is closed at its top and itommunicates with the vertical pi e 2 which to a point 4 is 1ncommunication at its top with the top end of a pipe 5 which is connectedwith the vessel 1 at a point above the surface of the liquid containedtherein, and which is disposed concentrically around the vertical pipe2. The chamber 3 can be connected at Its top with the atmosphere throughan opening 6 which is normally closed in an air tight manner by a screwplug 7 In order to put the apparatus'to use, the

screw plug 7 is first removed and pressure is applied to the vessel 1.Thereby the air or other gas inclosed within the pipe 2; and chamber3 isremoved by the liquid rising within the pipe 2, whereupon the screw plugis again screwed into closing position. Now

the liquids within the chambers 3 and 4 of r the container are set insuch-a wav, that the difl'erence of the levels betweenthe surface of theliquidwithin the vessel 1 andthe surface of the mercury within thechamber 3 and in COl'lhlOi) with the liquid from the vessel on the onehand and the difference of the levelsof the said surface of the mercuryand the surface'of the mercury within the chamber4 on the other hand,are inversely proportioned to the specific gravities of the liquidwithinthe vessel and the mercury withinthe chambers 3 and 4. flherefore, thespecific gravities of the liquid within the vessel 1 and the mercurybeing known, the difierence of thelevels of the mercury within thechambers indicates the level'and the weight of the liquid within thevessel 1. The principle. of the new apparatus will 100.

ample): It may be assumed, that within'th. I

be bestunderstood from the following exvessel there is a pressure of-1.5atmospheres absolute.

The diiferenceI-I of thelevelsof the liquid within the-vessel andthe-mercury. within the chamber 3 be13 meters. Under. thesecircumstances the-pressureat the sur Y face of the mercury-withinthe-chamber 3 will be .2 atmospheres, from the atmospheres, asbefore'fbujt 1.4 atmospheres pressure 1 5 atmospheres 1:3 atmospheresWlll be balanced by the weight of the column of liquid within thevertical ipe '2, the specifiegravity of thel'iquid witliin the vesselbeing assumed to be 1. Therefore the pressu u of 1.5 atmospheres whichacts on the su r ace of the mercury within the chamher 4 must. hereduced by'the counter pres sure of .2 atmospheres which acts on thesurface ofthe mercury within the communi 1 is changed by tsinkin gonemeter, as hasbeen-indicated theidotted lines, the height of the columnof liquid, within as, pipe 2 which must he.-balanced is increased one'guet er. The pressureat the liice where the in dicatingiiquid and theliquid from the' vessel are in contact with. each other falls iro m. .2atmospheres absolute to .1 atmosphere. jByreas'pn' of thisreducedpressure,

from the gas pressureabove the surface of the mercury within the chamber4 not.'1.3

are eflecti-ye, sof thatthe difier'ence of the levels of the column ofmercury is increased from Jz-to @Q thai is niter which difference is5ietei ininedv in-the communicating fi umbe s y'm tc ry wi g n iac er3.j 'i inni se in have apractical embodiment'of .thfeinvention. whichis art i 9 v ticularly suitable ior'use in connection w th vessels.containing' inflammable liquids, and which for this reason .isproyiiledwith safety devices. JAs showm on'alpl ate 8 a co'nhiiner 9 and abracket 10 are mountedgand thc container is formed with two chambers 11and 13. 1 The lower. cl iainber communicates througi'hlhhles l m pipe .3I connected to the vessel l; contamin the liquid above the. surfaceofithe'lat't and. is'pi'ovidedlujith a difiu'si'o'iiclosure and ballvalve. The essel isinotlfs'hown. in Fig.' 3. j j Couocntrically of thepipe 5" and within the latter a vertical pipe'2' islocatpd, hich is-ciom'ne'ctcd: at its top 'w'i tli the i upper 'ehaml'ier 13 of the:contaiuerand isipass'ed' at its lower end through tlie 'wall oftheyessel and point near the bottom thereof: The upper ,chamberlli' isuorii'ial'ly closed by means-of a screw pl chamber 1 tens on n t e'likew is ejprovidedf with a which is sion inthe form of a pipe 3'fwhihis'loc ated concentrically within the pipe 4"and extends .-to"a pointnear the'bottom end "of the said pipe where it commun'icates with thelaitcr. The pipe 3 and the communicating pipe 1' contain a suitableamountof mercury. The

ipe 4c is inclosed by a metal sleeve 1.5 which is provided with aslot-[o1- peep hole lfi. and

on which a slide 17 containing scale marks is shiftable. 1

From the valve chamber 11 a pipe 18 is branched oil through which thegas within I the chamber 13 may be blown ofi'. and to which a suctionpump maybe connected'for drawing the gas from the said chamber andcausing the liquid to rise from the vessel 1. upward and into the pipe2; f Preferably the valve is constructed in such a way. that it normallyheld on its seat by a spring.

" The cross-section of the chamber 13 is large as compared-to'that' ofthe pipe 4'. so that a displacement of the mercury within the pipe 3caused by a change in the level of theii'quid within the vessel l causesa. no tiecable change of the level of the mercury only Within the pipe4, while the level of the mercury within the chamber 13 is not changedin a material degree. ,Thereby the accuracy of the measurement of thelevel within the vessel 1 is increased. The ipe 2 communicates with thechamber 13 at a;

point near thetop thereof, so that in no position of themercury can theparts-of the latter flow into the said'pipe, the size of the chamber 13being sufficient to contain thewhole amount of, mercury. and when theWhole amount of mercury vis within the said chamber, the gas from'thepipe 4 can rise through the pipe 3 upward and to the upperend of thepipe 2'.

The crosssection of the pipe 3' is small as compared to that of thepipc'i. in order that the amount of mercury which is necessary-inthehpiiaralus he smallas possible. By constructing the pipe 4, with alarge crosssection the-further "atli'antage' is' obtalned,

that in case the apparatus-is used in 'connection withinflammableliquids uuderpressure-the protecting gas provided within thevessel-to preventlgl-ili'lflll'fllh rapidly blow off, if the pipe 4-breaks. -For thesame reason the construction of the pipe. 5.. with alarge cross-sectionis preferable. through which the said gas can rapidlyblow off-1n case the said pipe should break. in which case no liquid canher withdrawn from the vessel l.

Furthermore I ha ve found it convenient to constructthe pipe 2 with anupturned bot tom end and in the form ofltlie. letter U and to disposethe same within the vessel 1 in such a way; that: the upturned inlet endis slightly above the tap hole of the vessel 1.'

In-the operationof theapparatusirom the I inflammable liquid,--wate r isgradually separated which isdeposited at the bottom of marksrepresenting the specific gravities' of the vessel, and when the vesselis being emptied through the tap hole the said. water is withdrawn downto the level-of the tap hole. Therefore the waterwhich is gathered inthe meantime cannotrise so far that it enters the vertical pipe 2 andcauses errors in the indications of the apparatus.

At one side the scale 17 is provided with marks which show the level ofthe inflam "mable liquid within the vessel, and fat the opposite side ofthe slot I prefer to provide various liquids. which might be filled intothe vessel 1. The diifercnce of the levels of the column of mercurydepends on the specific gravity of the liquid. Therefore the length andthe position of the scale must be different for different liquids. Inmost-cases the differences of the lengths of the scales arevery smalland can be neglected for practical purposes. But it is necessary tochange the position according to the different spe cific gravities. Forthis reason the scale can be adjusted according to the scale marksindicated at the right hand side of the slot (in Fig. 3) anda fixed mark19. For fixing the scale in set position a set screw 20 is'provided.

- of the column is at the level of the mercury within the chamber 3 or13., there will be a pressure which is equal to the pressure within thevessell minus the pressure caused by the weight of liquidwithin thevertical pipe 2 or 2. pressure on the surface of .the mercury w ith inthe pipe 4 or 4 sets themercury within the chambers 3 and 4 or 3 and 4:according to the-specific gravities of the liquids. If

the level of the liquid within the vessel is changed, the pressure atthe point of contact of the mercury-within the chamber 3- and the liquidfrom the vessel 1 is changed accordingly, so that the difference of thelevels of the mercury Within the chambers 3 and 4 pressure,

is-changed accordingly.

While in describing the invention reference has been made to an examplein which the liquidwithin the vessel is under high I wish it to beunderstood, that my invention is not limited to this feature. Where theliquid is not under pressure I use a suction pump in connection with theThe apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is which together with the gas Inthis case the height of the vessel respectively above and below thesurface of the liquid contained therein, means whereby the-gas may bewithdrawn from the chamber which communicates with the vessel below thesurface of the liquid, whereby a column thereof is brought into directcontact with a surface of said measuring liquid, and means cotiperatingwith said measuring liquid to indicate the difference of the levelsofthe measuring liquid.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a vesselcontaining a liquid under pressure, of a container. above the vesselhaving two concentrically arranged chambers communicating with eachotherat.th c1r bottoms and:conta1n1ng a measuring liquid,said chambers beingconand below the surface of'the liquid contained therein, and meanscooperating with said measuring liquid to indicate the difi'erence ofthe levels of the measuring liquid.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a vesselcontaininga liquid under pressure, of a container above the vesselhavingtwo chambers communr' eating with cach other at their bottoms andnected with." the 'vessel respectively above I conta-inin g a measuringliquid and connected V with the vessel respectively above and below thesurface of the liquid contained therein,

a shift-able scale for indicating the difi'erence of the levels ofthQ-dneasuring liquid and provided with additional scale markscorresponding to the specific grav'itie's of the liquids to be filledwithin the vessel-and a fixed 'mark carried by said container andcooperating with said scale.

4. The combination of a vessel fora'l'lilid under jn'essure, a conduitcontaining an'in di'cating fiuidpa connection from said conduitextending into the fluid m. the vessel fluid and a second connectionextending from said conduit to the vessel above the the pressure in saidvessel and serves as a means to indicate the level of the-fluid therein.

whereby the-latter fluid is brought intoecontact with one surface ofsaid indicating fluid therein wherebvthe other'surface of saidindicating fluid is directly subjected to b, The combination of a vesselfor a fluid under pressure, a conduit containing an in-- dicat'mg fluid,a connection from sa1dcon-- duit to s'aidvcssel whereby one surfaceofsaid indicating fluid is under the influence of said pressure andindicates the level of a: fluid in said vessel and another connecit nfrom said conduit extending into the fluid in thc-vesse'l'and containinga column of the latter fluid, one end of which contacts'with and bearsdirectly upon the other surface of said indicating fluid to exert apressure thereon counter to that of the pressure exerted-on thedicating" fluid.

6. The "iconrbination of a vessel for a fluid under ressure, a conduitcomprising two connect d branches located at' a distance abovesaidvessel. and containi g an indi' cating fluid, a connection from one ofsaid branchesextending into the fluid andcon tainingra column 'of thelatter fluid one end of which contacts with and bears" upon one surfaceof said indicating fluid, and a' second connection from the free end ofthe other branch'of said conduit to aid vessel whereby the other surfaceof said indicating fluid is-brought under'the influence of said pressureaiid'serves to indicate the level of the fluid in the vessel.

. 7. The combination .of' a vessel for a fluid,

a conduit tor'an'indicating fluid, a connection: (intending from saidconduit into the fluid in "sa d {vessel and contamlng' a columnot thelatter fluid, one end of which conta-cts' directly with one surface ofsaid indlcatiu g fluid andia second connection from said conduit to saidvessel whereby the other surface of said indicating fluid 15 d1- rectlysubjected to the pressure in said ves selfsaid sec-ind connectionsurrounding a portion of said firsticonnection.

6?. The combination of a: vessel for a fluid, a ,Usluupcd conduit,containing an ln'tllcating fluid column and having one of its.branchesclosechla. pipe extending into said closed branch 3 throughthelndlcating fluid therein and projecting into the fluid' in said ves yis brought. into dlrectcontact with one en iof saidindicatingfluidcolumn and'a'conn'e tfftion from the -lrce end of 'the other branch ofsaid tl=onduit to said'vessel above theflu d thercinv herohy the otherend of said indicating flu d columnis directly Sill)" ,j ected tof'thepressure in said vessel.

'9. The' 'combination ofavessel for a fluid ha'ving'a'withdrawal;opening, a conduit foif an l'i vting jflhid=connected withsaid ee" therein -1's "indicated? and a connection from "saitl'cond'uitektcnding into the fluid in said vessel 'anddia'vi-ng an upturned innerend extending upwardly above the withdrawal enemas;

first surface of said in-.

whereby acolnmn of the latterfluid o, ad n llereby'the level of-thc"fuel meinbersbeing. relatively larger than that of the other member, aconnect-ion extending from one member into the fluid in the vess'elandcontaining a column of the latter fluid, one end of vhich contactsdirectly with one end of said indicating fluid col umn, and a secondconnection from the other member to the vessel above the fluid thereinwhereby the other end of said indicating fluid column is directlysubjected to the pressure Within said vessel.

12. The combination of a vessel for a. fluid under pressure, a -tubeclosed at its lower end and adapted to contain a mercury column wherebythe'glevel of the fluid in the vessel is indicated, a connection fromsaid tube to the vessel. above the. fluid therein whereby one end ofsaid mercury column J's-directly subjectedto the pressure wrtlnn'saldvessel, a second tube of relatively small disimeter dipping into saidfirst tube and the mercury. therein and '=c0i'1- IlECllOIl extending'froni said second.- tube into the fluid In said vessel. whereby acolgumn of said latter fluidis bt'ou-ghtinto direct contact with theother. end ,oflsaid mercury column to oppose the action of the pressurewithin said vessel.

13. The combination of a' vessel for a fluid under pressure, .a conduitcontaining an indicating fluid'column whereby the, level of the fluid insaid vessel is indicated, and. a connection from said conduit to thevesscl above-the. fluid therein, whereby one end ofsaid column issubjected directly to the. pressurc'within said vessel, said connection.having a relatively large diameter whereby said pressure is quicklyrelieved it said con.- nection isbroken. r Q

14. The combination of a vessel fora fluid under pressure, a conduit foran indh ca ting fluid whereby theilevel of the fluid.

in said vessel is indicated, a scale, adjustably mounted on said conduitand adapted to coiiperazte with said indicating fluid,.said scale beingprovidedwith indications corresponding to the specific gravity of: the

differ-iit'fluids adapted to be contained-in said :vcsscl and: arelatively stationary indicator carried by said conduit :ivherehy saidscale may be set on said conduit.

1.5, The combination of a, vessel for 10 level of the fluid in thevessel and the difference between the levels of the two end surfaces ofthe said column hem always inve'rsely refortional to the specl cgravities of the ui and said mercury.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this 15- specifieation m thepresence of two subseribing witnesses. I

ERNST HUIRLBRINK.

Witnesses Wowmmn I'IAUPT, HENRY HABPEB.

